Where were you on September 28, 1995? Do you remember? I do. Little did I know that as I put the hot rollers into my long, brown hair, applied my make-up and put on my black and red dress in the wee hours of the morning, I was preparing to meet the man I would spend the rest of my life with. I am sure he would have never guessed either that as he drove in the early morning hours to Lubby’s Cafeteria in Nashville, TN , he was about to meet the future mother of his children. Neither one of us knew that morning would be a turning point for us, but we are both grateful it was. As we met, the sparks weren’t the only things that flew through the air. The many differences we had were making their appearances too. Basically, the only things we had in common besides the intense attraction was our faith and our politics. No one in their right minds would have put us together, and many bet that we would never make it, but here we are.

On that fateful day, I met the most incredible man I have ever known. I don’t say that flippantly as I do not just throw compliments around easily. He really is. Rod loved me for who I was. He has never tried to change me, although I tried to change him. He has always respected me for my opinions, trusted me for my insights, been patient with me as I was growing in the Lord and supported me when I was struggling. Rod cared for me when I was sick without complaining. He took his vows of “in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, til death do us part” very seriously.
Over the past 13 years, we have had many struggles, and yet, all we remember is how happy we have been. I know much of that is because of him. He is happy with so little. All he needs is to be loved and appreciated. He has taught me the art of enjoying simplicity. With Rod, I can be stressed and overwhelmed, yet when I look into his eyes, I find the peace I need to get me through.
When we were first married, we began using the Larry Burkett envelope method for budgeting. This system is great, but I think it works better for people with “real” jobs. We are not those people. Rod had a construction company, so we got paid by the job. One evening, he came home to find me in a heap on the floor, crying because we had no money to buy food and there was no food to be prepared. He very calmly asked if we had rice. I told him we did, so he instructed me to fix it as he walked out the back door towards our pond. Not much time had passed when He came in with a smile on his face, two fish in one hand and polk salat in the other. He fixed up the one of the best meals we have had in our years together.
I learned something that night. God had blessed me with a man who would care for me as Christ cared for the church. I knew in that moment that Rod would always be there for me, that there was no problem too big for us to handle together and that living a simple life with a man who deeply loves you is far better than living an extravagant life with one who doesn’t.
So today, on this most special day of my life, I say “Thank you, Rod Stone, for choosing to spend your life with me. I still think I don’t deserve you, but I am so grateful that you think I do. It looks like we’ve made it, Babe. I know the waters we are on right now are rough, but I am glad we are charting them together.”
Take the time today to find the good in your spouse. Your destiny is waiting.